Uncaught TypeError in util.setObjectProperty on Array Paths

Author: codeCraft-RitikCreated Sep 8, 2026Updated Sep 8, 2026

Labelsneeds-triage

Current Behavior

When using RED.util.setObjectProperty (or RED.util.setMessageProperty) to traverse or delete a nested property on a path containing an array with null or primitive elements (e.g. payload.arr[0].subprop.deep where arr = [null] or arr = ["text"]), the runtime throws an unhandled:

TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object
    at Object.hasOwn (<anonymous>)
    at Object.setObjectProperty (@node-red/util/lib/util.js:475:24)

Because this error occurs synchronously during message property manipulation (such as inside a Change node or custom function node), it bypasses normal flow error handling and crashes the entire Node-RED Node.js process.

Expected Behavior

setObjectProperty should gracefully detect that the array element is not an object/function and return false, consistent with how object properties are already guarded at line 476 of @node-red/util/lib/util.js.

Steps To Reproduce

Call util.setObjectProperty on an object containing an array with a null or primitive value:

javascript

const util = require('@node-red/util').util;
// Reproduce deep property set crash on null array element:
const msg1 = { arr: [null] };
util.setObjectProperty(msg1, 'arr[0].subprop.leaf', 123);
// Result: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object
// Reproduce deep property set crash on primitive array element:
const msg2 = { arr: [123] };
util.setObjectProperty(msg2, 'arr[0].subprop.leaf.deep', 456);
// Result: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object
// Reproduce property deletion crash on null array element:
const msg3 = { arr: [null] };
util.setObjectProperty(msg3, 'arr[0].subprop');
// Result: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object

Observe that Node-RED throws an uncaught TypeError and terminates the process instead of returning false.

Example flow

json

[
    {
        "id": "tab_setobjectproperty_repro",
        "type": "tab",
        "label": "Repro: setObjectProperty Crash",
        "disabled": false,
        "info": ""
    },
    {
        "id": "inject_null_array",
        "type": "inject",
        "z": "tab_setobjectproperty_repro",
        "name": "Send Array with Null",
        "props": [
            {
                "p": "payload",
                "v": "{\"arr\":[null]}",
                "vt": "json"
            }
        ],
        "repeat": "",
        "crontab": "",
        "once": false,
        "onceDelay": 0.1,
        "topic": "",
        "x": 190,
        "y": 140,
        "wires": [
            [
                "change_deep_prop"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "change_deep_prop",
        "type": "change",
        "z": "tab_setobjectproperty_repro",
        "name": "Set deep prop: payload.arr[0].subprop.leaf",
        "rules": [
            {
                "t": "set",
                "p": "payload.arr[0].subprop.leaf",
                "pt": "msg",
                "to": "test-value",
                "tot": "str"
            }
        ],
        "action": "",
        "property": "",
        "from": "",
        "to": "",
        "reg": false,
        "x": 490,
        "y": 140,
        "wires": [
            [
                "debug_output"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "debug_output",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "tab_setobjectproperty_repro",
        "name": "output",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "payload",
        "targetType": "msg",
        "statusVal": "",
        "statusType": "auto",
        "x": 760,
        "y": 140,
        "wires": []
    }
]

Environment

Node-RED version: 5.0.6 (and all prior versions)
Node.js version: v18.x / v20.x / v22.x / v24.x
npm version: 10.x / 11.x
Platform/OS: Windows / Linux / macOS
Browser: N/A (Core runtime engine)

Source: node-red/node-red

View original on GitHub View discussion on GitHub